4 Moves to Seriously Lift and Sculpt Your Butt

A combination of ballet barre, yoga, Pilates, and strengthening rolled into one, LA-originated studio Pop Physique has had a cult following on the west coast since 2008. But what sets it apart from other barre-inspired boutique studios out there? According to founder Jennifer Williams, a former professional ballet dancer and longtime Pilates instructor, it’s the ‘artistic approach to exercise’.

The workout focuses on choreography and getting lost in the music—where her passion for dance all began, Williams explains. It’s also about what you won’t find in a Pop Physique class: Harsh fluorescent lighting, technical jargon that makes you feel lost and intimidated, or top 40 hits. You won’t get your Justin Bieber fix, but you just might find a new obscure track you love from a nightclub in Paris. The décor is also seriously cool—black and white with pops of pink and selfie mirrors.

But most importantly, the unique, hybrid workout experience offers serious results and has garnered quite the reputation for sculpting one body part in particular: the butt.

While she says the entire class should be a butt workout (you’re constantly squeezing or lifting your glutes even as you’re doing other moves) these do-at-home moves will give you serious bang for your buck; all you need is a chair. The secret is getting deeper and deeper into the muscle, working the glutes from all directions to tone and shape—something you simply can’t do on a StairMaster, Williams says. (For more booty shapers, see the no-squat, no-lunge butt workout.)

The workout has finally hit the east coast to the delight of New Yorkers, but Williams is continuing to expand to other parts of the country too. (Good news: they also have DVDs!) Until then, we bring you four crazy-effective exercises from Williams, demoed by Pop Physique instructor Jaclyn Winters. Get ready to quiver—in the best way possible! (And when you're done, try these six surprising ab exercises from Pop Physique.)